iC 



TX 916 
.K4 P4 
1914 
Copy 1 



aiATE OF KENTUCKY 



HOTEL 

INSPECTOR 

LAW 




J. L. REED 

HOTEL INSPECTOR 






n 1917 



i 



HOTEL INSPECTOR LAW 



AN ACT 

OF THE 

LEGISLATURE OE KENTUCKY 



Approved March 23, 1914. 



CHAPTER 82. 

AN ACT relating to the equipment and regulating of hotels 
and restaurants, defining the same, and relating to the in- 
spection thereof, providing for penalties for violations of the 
provisions of the Act. 

Be it enacted hy the Legislature of the State of 
Kentucky : 

§ 1. Every building of structure, kept, used as, 
maintained as, or advertised as, or held out to the 
public, to be a place where sleeping accommodations 
are furnished to the public whether with or with- 
out meals shall for the purpose of this act be 
deemed a hotel, 

Everj^ building or structure, and all buildings in 
connection, kept, used, or maintained as, or adver- 
tised as, or held out to the pul)lic to be a place where 
meals and lunches are served without sleeping ac- 
commodations, shall for the purpose of this act be 
deemed a restaurant and the person or persons in 
charge thereof wliether as owner lessee manager 
or agent for the purpose of this Act shall be deemed 
proprietor of such restaurant and whenever the 
word "restaurant" shall occur in this act it shall 



he const-'iied to mean such structure as described 
in this section. 

) '2. For the purpose of carrying into effect the 
provisions of this act the Governor shall appoint 
a Commercial Traveler having had not less than six 
years practical road experience immediately pre- 
ceding his appointment as hotel inspector at a 
sahiry of Twenty-four Hundred Dollars per year 
payable monthly who shall hold office for two years 
and be approved by ^"he Attorney General. He 
shall keep such records as are necessary for pub- 
lic use and inspection, showing the conditions of all 
hotels and restaurants, together with the name or 
names of owner, proprietor or manager thereof and 
showing their sanitary conditions the number and 
conditions of fire escapes, and any other informa- 
tion that may be for the betterment of the public 
service and likewise shall assist in the enforcement 
of any orders promulgated by the State Board of 
Health and Pure Food Department of the State re- 
lating to hotels and restaurants. 

§ 8. "Within sixty days after the effective date 
of this act and each year thereafter every person, 
firm or corporation now engaged in the business of 
conducting a hotel restaurant and every person 
firm or corporation who shall hereafter engage in 
conducting such business must procure an inspec- 
tor's certificate for each hotel or restaurant so con- 
ducted, or proposed to be conducted, provided that 
one certificate shall be sufficient for each combined 
hotel and restaurant where each are conducted in 
the same building and under the same management. 
Each certificate shall expire on the 31st day of De- 
cember next following its issuance. The hotel in- 
spector shall furnish to any person firm or corpora- 
tion desiring to conduct a hotel or restaurant an 
application blank to be filled out by such persons 
firm or corporation for a certificate thereof and 
which shall require such applicant to state the full 



name nnd address of tlie owner of the bnildirig the 
lessee and manager of sncli hotel or restaurant to- 
gether with the full description of the building and 
property to be used or proposed to be used for such 
business the location of the same the name under 
"which such business is to be conducted and such 
other information as may be required therein by the 
hotel inspector and such application shall be accom- 
panied by inspection fee for hotels of three dollars 
and an additional charge of twenty-five cents each 
for each additional bed-room in excess of ten and 
for restaurants Three Dollars and an additional 
charge of Twenty-five cents for each five chairs or 
stools or spaces vdiere persons are fed in excess of 
ten but no fee to exceed Ten ($10.00) Dollars and 
all such fees shall be turned in to the State Treas- 
ury on the first day of January, April, July and 
October of each year. 

Upon the approval of such application by such 
hotel inspector a certificate to conduct such busi- 
ness as such application is made for shall be issued 
by such hotel inspector. No hotel or restaurant 
shall be maintained and conducted in this State 
after the taking effect of this act without having 
secured a certificate therefor as herein provided 
and no certificate shall be transferable. Provided 
however, that after the making of applications for 
a certificate herein provided for and pending the 
issuance of such certificate such hotel and restau- 
rant shall be permitted to operate as such until the 
final refusal of such application by the inspector. 

Provided also that no hotel or restaurant shall 
be denied relief in the courts in action instituted by 
such hotel of restaurant by reasons of the fact that 
a certificate has not been issued to such hotel or 
restaurant. 

<^ 4. It shall be the duty of such hotel inspector 
to inspect or cause to be inspected at least once an- 
nually every hotel and restaurant in this State and 



for siicli purpose he shall have the right to enter 
and have access thereto at any reasonable time and 
wherever npon such inspection it shall be found 
that such business and property so inspected is not 
being conducted or is not equipped in the manner 
required by the provisions of this act or is being 
conducted in such manner as to violate any of the 
laws of this State it shall thereupon be the duty of 
the hotel inspector to notify the owner proprietor 
or agent in charge of such business or the owner or 
agent of the building so occupied of such condition 
so found and such owner proprietor or agent shall 
forthwith comply with the provisions of this act un- 
less otherwise herein provided reasonable time may 
be granted by the hotel inspector for compliance 
with the provisions of this act. 

§ 5. Every hotel and restaurant in this State 
shall be properly plumbed, lighted and ventilated 
and shall be conducted in every department with 
strict regard to health comfort and safety of the 
guest. Provided that such proper lighting shall be 
construed to apply to both line five to both daylight 
and illumination and that such proper plumbing 
shall be construed to mean that all plumbing and 
drainage shall be constructed and plumbed accord- 
ing to approved sanitary principle and such proper 
ventilation shall be construed to mean least one 
door and one window in each sleeping room. 

No room shall be used for a sleeping room which 
does not open to the outside of the building or light 
wells, air shafts or courts and all sleeping rooms 
shall have at least one window to the outside of the 
building or light wells, air shafts or courts and shall 
have one door opening on a hallway. 

In each sleeping room there must be at least one 
window with openings so arranged as to provide 
easy access to the outside of the building light wells, 
air shafts or courts. 



Provided that tho provisions of paragraphs 1, 2 
and 3 of tliis section shall not apply to any hotel in 
which the compartments are arranged on the cudi- 
cal plan or the dormitory plan in conformity with 
the provisions of local ordinances and regulations. 

Tn all cities towns and villages where a system of 
waterworks and sewerage is maintained for the pub- 
lic use every hotel and rooming-house shall within six 
months after the passage of this Act be equipped 
with suitable water closets for the accommodation 
of its guests ivith water closet or closets shall be 
connected by proper plumbing with such sewerage 
system, and the means of flushing such water closets 
with the water of said system in such manner as to 
prevent sewer gas or effluvia from arising there- 
from. All lavatories bath tubs sinks drains closets 
and urinals in such hotels must be connected and 
equipped in a similar manner both as to method 
and time. 

All cities, towns and villages not having a system 
of waterworks every hotel shall have properly con- 
structed privies or over vaults which shall be 
heated during the da^'s of the winter months from 6 
a. m. to 10 p. ni., to receive the night soil the same to 
be kept clean and well screened at all times and free 
from tilth of every kind furnishing separate apart- 
ments for sexes each being properly designated. 

Each hotel in this State shall be provided with 
a main public wash room convenient and of easy 
access to guests. 

§ 6. In all hotels and restaurants two stories 
high with ten or more sleeping rooms, where sleep- 
ing accommodations are furnished to the public, 
there shall be provided for each twenty-five hun- 
dred feet of area or fractional part thereof an ef- 
ficient chemical fire extinguisher conveniently lo- 
cated in a public hallway outside of the sleeping 
rooms, and always in condition for use, or a one 
and one-fourth inch inside stand pipe with hose con- 



6 

jiGction and a Lose ol sufficient lengtli always at- 
tached in sncli a hallway, which stand-pipe shall be 
supplied by a sufficient pressure of water. 

§ 7. In all hotels and restaurants more than two> 
stories high, with ten or more sleeping rooms, 
where sleeping accommodations are furnished to 
the public, each six thousand feet of area or frac- 
tional part thereof shall be provided with a one 
and three-fourths inch stand-pipe, and sufficient 
one and one-fourth inch hose connected therewith 
on each floor and constantly furnished with suf- 
ficient water pressure from water works or pumpr? 
which can be put into instant action, or for each 
such area there shall be a two and one-half inch me- 
tallic stand-pipe with metallic ladder attached 
above the first story, located upon the outside of 
the wall extending above the roof, and so situated as 
to be accessible from the roof and each story above 
the first, wath valves and male hose connections at 
every story and on the roof, and female hose con- 
nection at base of the pipe of such size and pattern 
as to allow connection with the equipemnt of the 
local fire department. There shall also be provided 
for each eighty-five hundred feet of such area or 
fractional part thereof at least one efficient chemi- 
cal fire extinguisher on each floor containing sleep- 
ing apartments. If, for lack of waterworks or 
steam to operate pumps, the inside stand-pipe is 
impracticable, then in addition to the fire extin- 
guisher, there shall be placed in the hallway of each 
floor containing sleeping apartments one barrel of 
water and two pails labeled "For Fire Purposes 
Onl}'." For each twenty-five hundred feet of area 
or fraction thereof on such floor a red light shall 
be kept burning all night at the head of each stair- 
way above the first floor, and that near each ap- 
proach to a stationary fire escape in each sleeping 
room above the first floor, the following printed 
notice shall be conspicuously posted: "Exit in Case 



7 

of Fire." Upon leaving this room, turn to the 
(here insert right or left) and by passing (here in- 
sert distance in feet) you will reach a red light, 
which indicates (here insert j5re escapes or stair- 
ways)." 

§ 8. That within six months after the passage 
of this Act every hotel and restaurant in this State, 
occupied and used as such, and which is more than 
two stories high, shall be equipped w^ith an iron 
stairway on the outside of the building extending 
from said cornice of said building to within twelve 
feet of the ground, and connecting on each floor 
above the ground with an opening from said floor, 
which stairway shall have platform landing at each 
floor not less than six feet in length and three feet 
in width, and which stairway and landing shall be 
guarded by an iron railing not less than thirty 
inches in height and shall be safely fastened and 
secured. Said stairway shall not be less than two 
feet wide, with steps not less than six inch tread 
and shall be placed at an angle of not more than 
forty-five degrees. The way of egress to such fire 
escapes shall at any times be kept free and clear 
of any and all obstructions of any and every nature. 
Fire escapes shall be placed where the hotel inspec- 
tor may direct. And if there are more than fifteen 
sleeping rooms on each floor above the third floor, 
there shall be provided one such described fire es- 
cape for fifteen sleeping rooms on each floor. 
Every hotel less than four stories high shall have 
hallways placarded to indicate all stairways and 
exits, and shall keep a five-eighths inch Manilla 
rope of sufficient length to reach the ground, hav- 
ing knots at least every fifteen inches apart, in each 
bedroom, such rope to be fastened six feet above the 
floor near the window, in a substantial manner and 
capable of sustaining at least five hundred pounds 
in weight. 



8 

Provided, however, that nothing in this section 
shall be construed to prevent the nse of any recog- 
nized automatic fire escapes in lieu of knotted rope. 

Whenever it shall be proposed to erect a build- 
ing three stories or more in height, intended for use 
as a hotel in this State, it shall be the duty of the 
owner, contractor or builder of such hotel to con- 
struct same so that one main hall on each floor above 
the ground floor shall run through to the outside 
wall of said building, and every building converted 
into a hotel after the passage of this Act must com- 
ply with the provisions thereof. 

Provided, however, that the provisions of this Act 
relating to outside fire escapes and ropes of auto- 
matic appliances shall not apply to hotels having 
or making provisions for interior fire-proof stair- 
ways approved as such by the hotel inspector 

All hotels in this State shall hereafter provide 
each bedroom with at least two clean towels daily 
for each guest, and shall also provide the main pub- 
lic wash-room with clean individual towels, main- 
taining same in view and reach and for the use of 
guests during the regular meal hour, and where 
no regular meal hours are maintained then between 
the hours of 6 :30 a. m. and 9 :00 a. m., and 11 :30 a. 
m. and 2:00 a. m., and 6:00 p. m. and 8:00 p. m., so 
that no two or more guests will be required to use 
the same towel unless it has first been washed. Such 
individual towels shall not be less than ten inches 
wide and fifteen inches long after being washed. 
Provided, that this shall not prohibit the use of 
individual paper towels in such wash-rooms. 

All hotels hereafter shall provide each bed, bunk, 
cot or sleeping place for the use of guests, with pil- 
low slips and under and top sheets; each sheet, on 
and after the first of January, 1915, shall be made 
99 inches long and of sufficient width to completely 
cover the mattress and springs; provided, that a 
sheet shall not be used wdiich measures less than 90 



inches after it lias Ix'cii lauirloreil. Said sheets and 
pillow slJi)s to be made of wliite cotton or linen, and 
all such sheets and pillow slips, after being used 
by one guest, must be washed and ironed before they 
are Jised by another guest, a clean set being fur- 
nislied each succeeding guest. 

All bedding, including mattresses, quiUs, blankets, 
pillows, sheets and comforts, used in any hotel in 
this State must be thoroughly aired, disinfected and 
kept clean. Provided, that no bedding, including 
mattresses, quilts, blankets, pillows, sheets or com- 
forts, shall be used which are worn out or unfit for 
further use. 

Any room in any hotel or restaurant infected with 
vermin or bed bugs shall l)e fumigated, disinfected 
and renovated at the expense of the proprietor of 
the said hotel until said vermin or bedbugs are ex- 
terminated. 

All notices to be served by tlie hotel inspector 
provided for in this Act sliall be in writing, and 
shall be either delivered personally, or by registered 
letter to the owner, agent, lessee or manager of such 
hotel or restaurant. 

Any person, firm or corporation who shall operate 
a hotel or restaurant in this State, or who shall let 
a building used for such business without having 
first complied with the provisions of this Act, shall 
be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction 
theieof by a fine of not less than ten dollars nor 
more than one hundred dollars, or imprisonment 
ill the county jail for not more than ninety days. 

The county attorney of each county in this State 
is hereby authorized and required upon complaint 
on oath of the hotel ins])ector or other persons, to 
prosecute to termination before any court of compe- 
tent jurisdiction, in the name of the Commonwealth 
of Kentucky, a proper action or proceeding against 
any person or persons violating the provisions of 
this Act. 



10 

§ 9. Whenever the owner, manager or person in 
charge of any hotel or restaurant shall have been 
convicted as provided in the preceding section, and 
shall for a period of sixty days after such conviction 
fail to comiDly with any provisions of this Act, the 
certificate granted to such person to conduct busi- 
ness may be cancelled by the hotel inspector. 

<§, 10. The hotel inspector shall appoint one dep- 
uty inspector, at a salary of two thousand dollars 
per year, whose term of office shall be of the same 
duration as that of the hotel inspector, and also one 
stenographer at a salary not to exceed eight hun- 
dred dollars per annum, who shall assist under his 
direction in performing the duties imposed by this 
Act. 

§ 11. On or before the 15th day of each month, 
the hotel inspector shall certify to the State Auditor 
the amount due him and his deputies as compensa- 
tion and necessary expenses for the preceding 
month, also the items and amount of all expenses 
necessarily incurred by him in his duties, including 
the cost of blanks, stationery, postage and travel 
and also the amount due the stenographer as com- 
pensation for the preceding month, and such sala- 
ries, mileage and expenses being duly audited shall 
be paid by the State out of the funds accruing from 
the inspection fees provided for in this Act. In no 
event shall the entire expense exceed ten thousand 
dollars per annum. 

The office of the hotel inspector shall be in the 
State Capitol. 

§ 12. Every hotel or restaurant securing a cer- 
terficate under the provisions of this Act shall keep 
the same posted in a conspicuous place in the office 
of such hotel or restaurant. 

All prosecutions under this Act shall be conducted 
by the county attorney of the county in which the 
offense was committed. 



11 

§ 13. All Acts or parts of Acts conflicting with 
any of the preceding sections of this Act are hereby- 
repealed, and this Act shall take effect and be in 
force from and after its passage. 

Approved March 23, 1914. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




014 759 258 9 • 




THE STATE JOURNAL COMPANY 
Printers to the Commonwealth 
Frankfort, Ky. 



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